Saturday, June 26, 2010

Before the Dawn - an Entirely Original Australian Comedy in Three Acts

In October 1916 a comedy in three acts, written and performed by Joseph (Jo) Smith, was put on at the Essendon Town Hall, Moonee Ponds, to raise funds for YMCA huts to serve the men on the front line. A description of the play and the playwright can be found here, and a more complete version , with colour plates, of the program, can be seen at the State Library of Victoria here. There is apparently a copy of the play lodged for copyright purposes held by the National Archives of Australia.